1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an ear plug apparatus having a band generally configured for extending under the neck or behind the head of the wearer, and in particular to an ergonomic banded ear plug device.
2. Prior Art
Devices for substantially blocking or covering the ear canal of the wearer to protect the wearer from excessive and damaging noise are well known. Muff type devices are known that cover the entire ear. However, muffs are large, often heavy and may be uncomfortable to wear. Moreover, muffs usually require a cumbersome support structure such as a helmet or a harness extending over the top of the head. Ear plug devices are also known that substantially block or cover each auditory canal. One type of an ear plug is inserted into the ear canal individually without being connected. These small plugs are easily misplaced and require care during insertion so that the plugs do not fall out, as there is no pressure to hold the plugs in place other than friction. Still other ear plug devices include a band that is deformed slightly to provide compressive force against the plug members to hold the plug members in position.
There are several challenges in blocking the ear canal to decrease noise entering the canal. Custom molded plugs may be used, but they require a special fitting and are very expensive. Other molded plugs may not fit the varied shapes of wearers' ears, causing discomfort and/or poor noise attenuation. Compressible resilient foam type plugs may also be used that are inserted into the ear canal and allowed to expand so that the friction between the individual plugs and the ear canal is sufficient to retain the plug member in the ear. Care should be taken to select proper materials for the plugs that will conform to the ear canal without causing excessive force against the ear canal for the wearer, while providing sufficient force to substantially block sound to the ear canal.
As the shape of each person's ears and the shape and orientation of each person's ear canal varies, substantially blocking the canal in a satisfactory manner is difficult. Known devices may insert into the ear and cover the canal, but do not always provide a satisfactory fit. Usually, the entrances of human ear canals have an overall tendency to extend slightly upward and forward rather than transverse to the center plane of the wearer, but the precise orientation varies from person to person. Prior banded devices typically exert force directly inward against ear plug members within the same plane as the band and do not provide for positioning the plug members within a range of orientations to substantially match the range of human ear canal entry angles. Incorrect orientation of the plug members in a banded plug configuration leads to a poor fit with the entrance of the human ear canal. When this occurs, the plug is less effective at blocking noise and/or less comfortable to wear.
Banded ear plug devices typically extend outward in a substantially U-shaped configuration with the plug members' normal separation distance often less than the width of the wearer's neck. The legs of the band are pulled apart to fit the plugs over the wearer's ears. Since the bands are pulled outward from their normal position, the bands exert an inward force against the ear plug members, retaining them against the ears. Although prior devices are able to widen to various head sizes, the force exerted usually varies as the separation distance increases. This creates problems that are exacerbated by varying head sizes as the force exerted against the wearer's ears may be too little for smaller head sizes and too great for larger head sizes. The banded ear plug devices may not have sufficient force against the ear plug members for satisfactory sound attenuation for some wearers, while other wearers may experience discomfort from excessive force exerted on the ear plugs and to the ears.
It can be seen then that a new and improved banded ear plug device is needed. Such a device should provide for substantially covering the ear canal of the wearer in a comfortable manner. Such a device should provide for adapting to a wide variety of head sizes with both a vertical and horizontal range of engagement orientations for covering typical ear canals. Such a device should provide substantially constant force against the ears over a range of wearers' head sizes. The device should fit comfortably under the wearer's chin or behind the back of the wearer's head and should be light weight enough so that the device can be worn for extended periods of time without discomfort. The present invention addresses these as well as other problems associated with band type ear plug devices.